Award-Winning Crew: “BEST CREW IN SHOW” (yachts under 52’) -
2018 USVI Charter Yacht Show
Capt. Sam & Chef Jen
Their story begins back in 1985 when they graduated college in Ohio,
moved to south Florida, and called a 37’ monohull “home”.
When you are choosing a charter yacht for your vacation, the “right crew” is just as important, if not more so, than the “right yacht.” Fortunately, with STARFISH you get an Award-Winning Yacht AND an Award-Winning Crew. Sam and Jen have been boating (sailing and power) together since they were 22. They are world sailors who bring unmatched teamwork and a mature perspective on what constitutes excellent guest service to the Caribbean charter industry.
When Experience Counts . . .
Captain Sam Augspurger
You deserve a Captain at the helm who has some serious blue water miles under his keel. Sam has been sailing since he was 7 years old and holds a 100 ton Masters license with Sailing and Towing Endorsements. Sam has literally logged tens of thousands of hours at the helm. His experience and training ensure safe sailing.
Sam is an easy-going Southern man who welcomes guests to take in the view and breeze alongside him at the raised helm. He’s happy to make conversation, share the joys of sailing, or just enjoy a peaceful passage enjoying the views with guests at his side.
Sam’s special licenses, aside from his Merchant Mariner credentials as noted above, include: STCW, CPR, AED, First Aid, & PADI certified diver.
He also blows a mean conch horn and loves to give instruction. Sam is happy to lead guests on “snorkel safaris” (he has a very keen eye and is good at spotting sea life), take you hiking, or pull you around on all of the water sports gear!
Chef / 1st Mate Jennifer Augspurger
Jen loves to whip up magic in her galley and pamper her guests with stellar food and service. Her attention to detail is the difference that propels great service to excellent service! She is an intuitive host — with guests often commenting that Jen knew what they needed before they even knew they needed it!
Growing up on a farm in Ohio, Jen learned early in her years how to cook and bake. When Sam, Jen and their children left the USA to sail and explore the world, Jen’s cooking skills were catapulted to the next level with the luxury of time to study cookbooks and to experiment with new foods, techniques, spices and seasoning from the areas they were visiting around the world — while mastering the skills needed to create gourmet meals in a small galley.
As the chef aboard Starfish since 2014, her skills have only continued to grow — with her guests reaping the benefits! Jen has also taken cooking classes in Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain.
As Jen also serves as “First Mate,” she has all required credentials, including her STCW, CPR, AED, First Aid, and PADI dive certifications. She has accumulated nearly as many blue water miles as Sam and is able to take over at the helm as needed. She also enjoys taking guests snorkeling and hiking as her busy cooking schedule permits!
So What Brought Sam & Jen to the Virgin Islands and to Yacht Starfish? (Since so many guests always ask . . . .)
It all began with an idea on January 2, 2004. Sam and Jen rather dramatically decided it was time to jump off the “hamster wheel” that just kept spinning faster and faster and spend more time together — as a couple and as a family (they had 2 pre-teen daughters at the time). Also weighing heavy on their minds was the knowledge that of their 4 parents, 3 had passed away at age 65 or younger. They realized that life is short and concluded that putting plans off till retirement no longer seemed like a good option. But what started out as a 2 year sailing sabbatical soon evolved into a long-term lifestyle choice.
From 2004 to 2011, their sailing as a family aboard their first catamaran took them from Florida and then to and through the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, St. Martin/St. Maarten, St. Eustacias, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Venezuela, Bonaire, Curaçao, the Kuna Yala of Panama, Panama, through the Panama Canal, to the Galapagos, Marquesas, Tuamotus,
Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Suwarrow, American Samoa (where they lived and worked for 3 years), Fiji, New Caledonia, and Australia! Whew!
Those travels should come as no surprise as Sam and Jen have been sailing and power boating together since they were 22. During their twenty years living in South Florida and working on their businesses, Sam and Jen nearly always owned a boat. From monohulls to power boats and then catamarans … Sam and Jen have owned and enjoyed them all.
After returning to the U.S. mainland from the Pacific, Sam and Jen both wanted to return to island life, but not be so far away from their daughters who were then in university in Florida. So, they moved to the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2012 and began chartering in 2014.
Since 2014, STARFISH, with Sam and Jen aboard, has been an extremely well-booked award-winning charter yacht with whom brokers feel confident placing their valued guests because they know it is always a perfect charter yacht experience!